Why Is Holiday So Stressful?
(And what if it doesn’t have to be?)
We just returned from 5 magical days in Italy. And at some point… the magic kind of disappeared.
We were traveling with three little kids—which already comes with its own joyful chaos. But we’ve learned how to turn most of the stress into fun. This time, though, a few things really tested us:
A late arrival and 2 hours waiting for the rental car
A destroyed car seat on arrival
No heating in the apartment (17°C at night—not exactly cozy)
Sleepless nights in noisy and uncomfortable beds
And finally… missing our return flight.Â
Sounds like a dream holiday, right?
But here’s why I’m sharing this.
I grew up in a world where perfection was the standard.
Anything less?  Disappointment, frustration… maybe even shame.
For people like me—who’ve internalized the belief that “things must go right”—life (and especially parenting) can feel really hard.
Because here’s the secret no one told me:
You’ll become a level 10 parent the moment you accept this truth:
You can’t do parenting right.
Only lovingly, messily, and imperfectly.
I’m still in the learning curve. (I probably always will be.)
But here’s what I did differently this time:
Filed a claim for the broken car seat—and found a workaround to make it usable.
Negotiated a bigger car from the rental company (a win!).
Slept less… but spent more time in nature.
Booked a spa hotel near the airport for the ‘extra’ night—enjoyed the spa experience, had a fantastic dinner and fulfilling breakfast.
Turned the stress into stories, and those stories into connection.
The kids loved it more than any other vacation.
The messy truth I’ve learned:
- Life doesn’t become beautiful because it’s perfect.
- It becomes beautiful when we let go of needing it to be.
If you can turn discomfort into creativity, and failure into laughter—
You’re already winning.
Do you want some takeaways?
- When was the last time your holiday went off track and ruined the whole experience?
- Reading this story, what advice would you give your past-self to turn it into super fun?
- What will be the one thing you will do differently next time?
Love,
Laszlo
